Tenderness 3 pt 1

Negima! fanfic. After their enforced engagement and the chaos that follows, the young couple attempts to court as well as get their own feelings out in the open. Not the easiest of tasks perhaps, what with all the interference, err, "help" they receive.
(Konoka/Setsuna) Tenderness is a series of six stories divided over likely seven parts due to size. Sequel to Tenderness 2.

Read Tenderness 3 pt 1

Disclaimer: Mahou Sensei Negima etc belongs to Ken Akamatsu and possibly a few others, certainly not myself though if someone would feel like giving the series to me I would not object. ^_^

This is a sequel to “Tenderness 2”. A slight warning: Like with previous parts, please have patience with any and all OOC behaviour.





Tenderness 3 pt 1 of 2
-------------------------------------
By Carola “Ryûchan” Eriksson





After the end of what had been her own omiai Sakurazaki Setsuna still would not have been able to clearly describe what had occurred during it. The last twenty-four hours were a blur filled with shocking revelations, outrageous events, and of being ordered around, and she had still to get her bearings. Two things were very clear through it all, however, and that was the image of her beautiful ojousama in her new kimono, and the other the sensation of Kono-chan’s weight and warmth and lips when they kissed.

Which proved right there that everything must be but a long, elaborate dream. Any moment now Setsuna would wake up and the dream, the happiness, would drift away. She would be Setsuna the unworthy again, destined to love and watch over her ojousama from afar.

Pale fingers traced with wistful longing over lips where Setsuna imagined she could still feel Kono-chan’s warmth.

The odd thought struck her that if this was just a dream, then what perversity in her was it that had imagined Evangeline-san as Setsuna’s guide and aide? The diminutive blonde had been present in the principal’s office when Master Eishun had guided her there, and after all other aspects of conversation had been over with, Evangeline-san had told all present that she had gone through Setsuna’s things and come to the realization that not even the robotic Chachamaru had such an abysmal wardrobe, and that she needed to amend that.

Chachamaru, naturally present wherever her Master was located, interjected that she had quite an extensive wardrobe since her Master enjoyed dressing her up, causing the tiny vampire to give a flustered rant before calming down enough to issue orders. In the end Evangeline and Chachamaru had met up with Setsuna and Master Eishun after the two latter had spent an hour or more with a tailor that was going to make an outfit for Setsuna to wear by morning, and Evangeline had badgered Setsuna into trying on various items and clothing in all the stores in town, most of which Setsuna was more than happy to forget. The seemingly endless shopping spree under Evangeline’s control resulted in a mountain of bags and boxes that nearly had Setsuna throwing a panic fit, but the vampire had of course insisted that Setsuna absolutely needed every single item bought.

Evangeline and Chachamaru had, when they had returned to campus and Setsuna already felt tired beyond belief, then proceeded to supervise Setsuna as she put the clothing away, Chachamaru painstakingly instructing Setsuna on proper storage and caring for what she was handling, and Evangeline thoroughly explaining when and how each thing was to be worn.

By the time they were done it was thankfully time to be present when the principal was given his daily report from the guardians of the school, and after that the principal and Master Eishun kept Setsuna with them until rather late at night, handling paperwork and other matters, as well as having strange conversations with her that Setsuna could not quite grasp the significance of.

Master Eishun and Chachamaru had arrived early the following morning, and after a light breakfast and brief – and failed - meditation the three of them had gone to collect Setsuna’s new outfit from the tailor. Chachamaru had helped arrange Setsuna’s hair in a fashion that Evangeline apparently had decided upon, and then they had gone to meet up with said imperious blonde and the principal.

The car had taken a detour to the hotel where the omiai was to take place, coming to a halt a small distance behind the hotel in order for Evangeline and Chachamaru to get out. Without asking Setsuna nonetheless was informed that the hotel had been built on what was technically speaking still part of the school’s property, and therefore Evangeline could access the smaller rooms attached to balconies in the building without crossing the line of her curse. It was the way in to these rooms that was a bit tricky, leaving master and robotic servant to sneak in from the back as the rest of the group drove up to the main entrance.

What followed then, essentially from the moment Setsuna’s adored ojousama stepped through the door, was just too surreal. Somewhere along the line Setsuna stopped resisting, listening to the voice inside that said that yes, it might all be but a dream... but it was a sweet dream, and there were no harm in allowing herself to dream it. And so she tried to go along with it, hoping morning would stay far, far away.

Before she and Chachamaru left the building Evangeline had a brief conversation, or rather an order to give, with Setsuna on the balcony. Apparently the dinner reservations that Setsuna had been told to make in the Konoe name at a rather well-known restaurant in town were not, as Setsuna had believed, for Master Eishun and ojousama, for when Evangeline all but commanded Setsuna to take Kono-chan out on a date the following day that was the place she was told to take her date to. Evangeline then sternly told Setsuna to wear a certain outfit that the blonde had picked out for that specific purpose, and Setsuna had better remember how Evangeline had told her to wear it, or else.

Kono-chan had clung to Setsuna’s arm and sighed happily about their ‘first date’ after the child-like vampire had left, but they were soon after parted as the principal’s company and Master Eishun’s company took separate cars away from the hotel. The car Setsuna travelled with took another detour – complete with another threatening reminder about the date - to deliver Evangeline and Chachamaru to their cottage before returning to the dorms.

Thus it was that Setsuna was now finally in her own room, lying on her back upon the bed staring unseeing up at the darkened ceiling, having not bothered turning on the lights. She had also forgotten to change out of the clothes she had worn to the omiai, having basically just entered and thrown herself at the bed, deep in thought.

Setsuna did not know that in another part of the building, somewhat earlier, the girl that occupied her spinning thoughts had rushed back to the room she shared with her friends, thrown the door open, and squealing hurled herself at her friend and roommate of several years. After being drawn around the room in a bouncing kind of dance Asuna had managed to ask what was going on, to which the exuberantly happy brunette had declared that she was going to get married. The confused red-head had wondered if her friend had somehow hi-jacked Setsuna’s omiai, and that had started a long and surprisingly squealing, and surprisingly detailed, account for everything that had happened.

The amount of time telling her story and answering her friends questions took meant that it was quite some time before Asuna’s help could be enlisted in removing the kimono and restoring hair and general looks to something resembling normal, but once that was done a certain Kyoto-born heiress with a big smile on her face and with feet that only barely touched the ground was happily making her way towards the room where her beloved lay, obliviously staring at a darkening ceiling.

---

Konoka bounded up to her precious Secchan’s door and not so much knocked on it as she declared in a loud voice that she was coming in, leaving the startled girl inside to just barely manage to scramble to a sitting position before she entered.

“Secchan!” Konoka blinked at the slight dusk in the room, but continued undeterred. “Can I turn on the light?”

“O-of course, ojousama.” Setsuna stuttered while trying discreetly to straighten herself out.

“Mou! Again with the ‘ojousama’...” Konoka pouted as she switched on the light, but broke out into a big smile as she turned towards Setsuna again. “You know, Secchan, people will get the wrong idea if you keep calling your girlfriend ‘ojousama’.”

That said she bounded over to the bed to sit down and attach herself to Setsuna’s side while the other girl blushed furiously.

“I-I-I see.” Setsuna stuttered while glancing shyly at the girl burrowing into her shoulder. “Girlfriend?” The last was spoken very softly, Setsuna sounding somewhat unsure of herself.

Konoka smiled gently up at her blushing love. “Yeah, girlfriend or fiancée, whichever you think sounds better Secchan.” She stroked the fabric at Setsuna’s throat. “This looks so very good on you Secchan... you are quite handsome.”

While Setsuna mumbled something indistinct in reply Konoka eyed the clothing a second time, this time with a slight frown. “Shouldn’t you have changed by now though, Secchan?”

A sheepish look. “...I forgot.”

Konoka chuckled softly. “Yeah, we’ve had quite an eventful day, haven’t we?” Gently touching a pink cheek before standing up she added “I’ll help you change.”

As the suddenly wide-eyed warrior was about to stutter a panicked refusal the smiling brunette effectively silenced her with a single finger to Setsuna’s lips. “Silly Secchan, you had help putting it on, didn’t you?” Konoka was quite amused at her Secchan’s bashfulness. “You’ll need help to take it off, and I’m already here. Now come, stand up and turn around.”

Before Setsuna knew it she was standing with her back to Konoka and stripped to the waist save for the cloth bindings Setsuna wore around her chest in lieu of a bra. Dream or no, this day was apparently all about making Setsuna experience new levels of embarrassment, she thought, and did her best to resign herself to the constant light-headedness that accompanied one of her strong blushes. Oh if only she had not been so terribly prone to them in the first place.

On her part Konoka was slowly coming to realise that for some reason seeing Secchan half-naked now was quite different from the several times they had already been naked in each other’s presence before. It seemed strange that after sitting next to one another in the bath in the altogether, yes even helping each other with washing hair and such things, that the mere act of undressing would be so... intimate and awkward. Although, come to think of it, Secchan had always been rather awkward in the bath, ever the shy one, and it had been Konoka that had pushed onward enough times that the other girl had seemed to get used to it. But why was it so different now?

Perhaps it was the fact that this time they were truly alone. There was no safe buffer of noisy classmates with them here, no-one at all present that would hold them back if they...

Blushing rather badly herself Konoka snapped her thoughts away from that track, trying to focus instead on the slender figure that was standing so stiffly in front of her, and not indulge in somewhat... risqué... daydreams. She chuckled a little, charmed at the bright pink of Secchan’s ears.

For someone so strong and competent it was always something of a shock to see that once those clothes were off, Secchan was actually a quite small and slender girl. Although those arms were muscular it was in a lean way, not quite revealing that under that flawless pale skin hid the strength to hurl an opponent twice Secchan’s size across the room, or to catch Konoka’s fall in open arms without the slightest waver. Mesmerized Konoka wondered what it would feel like to touch that soft fair skin and feel the hidden strength underneath...

It was Secchan’s gasp and the procession of pink down towards pale shoulders that made Konoka realize that she wasn’t just imagining what it would feel like to run her fingers down Secchan’s mostly naked back; she was in fact slowly running her fingers down the other girl’s spine.

The strong shudder going through Secchan’s form at her touch brought out Konoka’s more mischievous side, and she leaned in towards the bared neck until her breath was searing hot on the very base of Setsuna’s head. “Are you cold, Secchan?” She barely noticed that her own voice had gone suspiciously husky as Konoka found herself fighting a sudden urge to fasten her lips to the spot where her breath, quite intentionally, had just warmed fair skin.

“YES!” Setsuna yelped, startled and shivering.

“Then I’ll... warm you right up.” Konoka giggled and pulled her arms around Secchan’s waist, pressing herself tightly against the almost bare back. If Secchan had been stiff before, at the sudden move she turned absolutely rigid.

Which was exactly what Konoka had counted on as her fingers moved around... and jabbed mercilessly at some very ticklish spots.

“IIIIIIIIIIIYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAA!” The secretly very ticklish girl howled and tried to squirm away from the one person who knew this particular secret, but Konoka had a good grip and a few really good spots in reach. They ended up on the floor, Setsuna trying to block or pull Konoka away but were squealing too hard to be able to summon up her usual strength.

Then the door was flung open. “Setsuna, you sleeping?”

The couple on the floor froze, Setsuna flat on her back and only half-dressed with Konoka straddling her waist, one hand trying to pin Setsuna’s arms above her head while the other suspiciously much looked as if it was in the middle of undoing the straps in Setsuna’s hakama.

In the doorway the slightly stunned-looking Tatsumiya Mana froze as well.

Both girls on the floor spoke up at once, voices squeaking somewhat as they hastened to explain. “Its not what it looks like/We’re just...”

Mana cut them off with a swiftly lifted hand. “Setsuna, we are to meet with the principal before going on patrol today.” A slight pause. “I will wait for you outside his office.” And then she was gone, the door closed firmly behind her.

---

When Mana left Setsuna had leapt to her feet, realizing that for her fighting companion to seek her out before a meeting instead of just joining up with her on the way there it meant that Setsuna was already late. She apologized and explained in a rush to Konoka, who as it turned out was quite understanding and offered to help Setsuna by folding and putting away her clothes before leaving, allowing Setsuna to quickly change into her school uniform and dash out the door.

Although Mana was indeed waiting for Setsuna in the corridor outside the office and therefore was unlikely to have told the principal anything about what she had walked in on, Setsuna still found the way the old man smirked and chuckled when he asked her if she had been with Konoka as Setsuna apologized for her tardiness to be quite... unnerving. She blushed helplessly, looking undoubtedly much more guilty of something, whatever that something might be, than she really had any reason to.

The meeting itself took quite some time and dealt with the various aspects of the work that Setsuna and Mana performed for the principal. It also pertained to the proposed inclusion of Nagase Kaede as an additional member of the school guardians. The proposition had in fact been suggested by Setsuna to begin with, with Mana’s support, and it had been evaluated for some time before Kaede had been approached by the principal. Although nothing of the sort was mentioned, Setsuna was left with a sneaking suspicion that the principal’s sudden desire to expand the guardians, beginning with Nagase but with the intention of finding a few additional trustworthy martial artists to include as well, had something to do with her dating his granddaughter.

The meeting came to a halt when Evangeline informed them of multiple intrusions of the school boundaries, and it was with some relief that Setsuna set out alongside of Mana to track down and subjugate whatever had crossed into Mahora territory. Fighting, at least, was an old familiar friend for the Shinmeiryuu warrior.

As things turned out, the intruding... entities... were not very strong, but they were many and, which proved to be the more difficult part, nearly impossible to track by any of the many means available. In the end it was a matter of footwork, Setsuna and Mana walking the perimeter over and over, hunting for signs, until finally they had located and dealt with all the creatures.

During lulls in the patrolling, of which there were many, Setsuna would upon occasion catch a strange glance directed her way from Mana, but the taller woman never brought up the subject of what exactly she had walked in on. It was terribly unnerving and Setsuna did not know what to do or say in such a situation – frankly, she was not even sure she would survive the stuttering and blushing embarrassment that bringing up the topic would entail on her part, especially with Mana. For a long while Mana had been the only friend Setsuna could have claimed to have at Mahora, due to her self-imposed distance from everyone in general and Konoka in particular of course, and while it was probably a strange kind of relationship it was one she valued. In short, she particularly did not relish the prospect of looking ridiculous in front of Mana.

By the time their job was done, darkness had already fallen and it was quite late. Setsuna had rather given up on coming up with a way to explain to her companion, and it seemed Mana was not going to mention anything. They engaged in a brief conversation before saying goodnight, heading out in different directions... but Setsuna did not get far.

“Setsuna?” Mana’s voice was just loud enough for Setsuna to hear, and when Setsuna stopped and turned around to face her she found that Mana was still turned the other way. “I am... happy for you.” A simple but heartfelt statement, only there were something else in Mana’s voice as well. The taller woman turned her head, presumably to look at Setsuna over her shoulder, but her face was in darkness so Setsuna could not tell. “Hold on to what you have, and don’t let anything ruin it for you... not even yourself.”

“... Thank you.” Setsuna answered simply to the retreating back. Not even Setsuna herself? Yes... she herself was probably the biggest threat to her own happiness.

Setsuna did not set out to walk briskly to the dorms as she usually might have when finishing work at a late hour, rather, feeling her body demand rest but her heart fearing sleep, Setsuna walked around campus somewhat aimlessly.

Her wandering took her, quite without conscious decision, to the patch of grass directly below Konoka’s dorm-room window. Surprised at how she had found herself there, Setsuna nonetheless remained, silently looking up at the dark square and wishing somewhat wistfully that she could have seen Konoka’s face.

But it was late, of course Konoka had gone to sleep even if the next day was not a school day... if nothing else she would undoubtedly be woken early when Asuna set out on some job or other, as always, and would therefore had gone to bed at a reasonable hour.

So why if she knew this was Setsuna standing there in the dark, staring at Konoka’s window like a lovesick puppy?

Suddenly there was movement by the dark window. Setsuna watched with something akin to wonder how the window opened to reveal a pyjama-clad figure gently lit by the light of the rising moon. She could not help but smile when Konoka leaned out, her long brown hair falling down like a veil to obscure her face until a single graceful movement pulled it aside.

Konoka had waited up for her.

It had to be a dream after all, Setsuna considered after seeing Konoka attempt to mouth something to her since speaking loudly enough that they would hear one another would undoubtedly wake up the others, and in a dream... could she not indulge? Even if it meant using the things she hated being reminded of that she had, even if it meant revealing her ugliness to the one whose opinion of her mattered most of all.

A quick though fairly pointless look around, and then... snowy white wings spread in the moonlight, a strong stroke of the same, and Setsuna carefully hovered just below Konoka’s window.

“My beautiful angel...” Konoka breathed, such delight in her eyes that for just that moment Setsuna could lay aside some of her self-consciousness.

A pale hand reached out to gently run fingers through long brown hair. “Why are you still awake?”

With a sweet smile Konoka captured Setsuna’s hand and brought it up to her face. “I couldn’t sleep until I knew you were alright.” The smile dimmed slightly with concern for a moment. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No, nothing came close enough to touch me.” Konoka’s skin was warm against Setsuna’s night-chilled fingers. “You... waited for me.” Her voice filled with a sense of wonder, hovering closer without meaning to.

“Of course.”

Emboldened by the darkness that cloaked her and by the surrealism of the moment, Setsuna did something she would not have thought she possessed the courage for. In one smooth movement she closed the distance, took Konoka in her arms, and kissed her... deeply.

Konoka’s tiny gasp of surprise quickly turned into a moan as their tongues met, and within a heartbeat she responded enthusiastically, arms coming up to grasp at Setsuna’s neck and shoulders with one hand at the base of Setsuna’s skull and the other lodged somewhat possessively into white feathers.

They kissed for some time before parting, both of them somewhat out of breath and unsteady. “Oh Secchan!” Konoka gasped. “Secchan, I lo...”

A throat cleared not entirely discreetly from further inside the dark room.

“I hate to interrupt, but before the two of you do anything... more... let me remind you that there are minors in the room. Two of them in fact.” Asuna whispered at her roommate and her girlfriend. “Plus, you know guys, its getting pretty chilly in here... come inside and close the window?”

The young couple flew apart, Setsuna loosing her grip on the window in the process. Deadly embarrassed at both her own boldness and at being caught yet again, Setsuna decided to bolt. “I-I-I-I should g-go. Please go to sleep, Kono-chan...go-” A pair of soft lips interrupted her.

Konoka bestowed her with such a loving look that Setsuna went breathless once again. “Goodnight angel. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight Kono-chan.” The barest whisper, then Setsuna let her wings take her away.

Before coming entirely out of range of Setsuna’s sharp hearing, the following passage was carried by the wind. “So, good kisser huh?” “Oh like you wouldn’t believe! Sigh.”

With a big grin despite her burning cheeks Setsuna uncharacteristically allowed herself a big, fast loop up high in the air before setting back on a path to her own room for the night.

---

Morning arrived far later than it should have for one bewildered young warrior always firm about her training, and, at least on the second attempt, at about the right time for one cheerful little future mage that liked to sleep in when she could.

It was the day for their big first official date, and while Konoka had a vague idea that the general concept of a date meant that they should probably not spend the day together until the time for the actual date itself, she still went looking for her Secchan.

She did not find her, not in any of the places she looked, and after an hour or two this began to bother Konoka, as her Secchan had a habit of stopping by before or after training or whatever tasks she had to perform just to check on her. When another hour passed by without her precious black-haired protector, Konoka got really worried. Was Secchan alright? Had something happened? Or was Secchan just avoiding Konoka for some reason?

Fortunately she came upon the twins whom explained to Konoka that Setsuna and Mana had gone with Kaede, for some mysterious business-related thing that the two sisters had fun speculating over and that Konoka realized must involve the kind of work that Setsuna did for her grandfather.

The rest of the day until the much-awaited date went by fairly quickly, until the time came when Konoka was a all but emptying her closet in search of the perfect outfit to wear with Asuna patiently attempting to steer the girl to pick one outfit and stick with it. Although she tried to help Asuna was not above teasing her friend, and so she suggested that Konoka should wear her pyjamas, since it had gotten such good results the night before. Neither the blushing Konoka nor the grinning Asuna were quite willing to explain the joke to Negi though, whom had managed to sleep through the previous night’s heated little visit.

Then finally there was a knock on the door, and Konoka – having really just gotten the finishing touches on her ensemble quite so – rushed to open it.

One hand immediately flew up in the vicinity of her heart, as the shy-looking girl on the other side took Konoka’s breath away. Setsuna was dressed in a grey pinstripe suit, the fit loose enough that it masked certain telling curves and appeared to increase her overall size, with her black hair brushed to gleaming and worn loose of its usual ponytail. This androgynous slant to her appearance worked only so long as one did not take a close look at her face, for Setsuna’s features were far too feminine to be mistaken.

Blushing slightly Setsuna bowed at the waist and handed Konoka a single long-stemmed red rose. “H-here Kono-chan!”

Accepting the rose with a big smile Konoka gently urged her Secchan to stand up straight and gave her a little peck in thanks. As the smitten girl cooed admiringly over her rose Setsuna stared, helplessly tongue-tied at the vision before her. The short black dress was of a simple cut and innocent enough for a girl of Konoka’s age, but it left a fair part of her neck and shoulders bare, and with the long chocolate-brown hair done up Setsuna’s view was unrestricted. Setsuna could feel her ears heating up.

So distracted was she that she did not snap out of her stupor until a flash of light obscured her vision. Konoka giggled and leaned in close, posing happily for Asuna and her camera... it took the love-addled warrior a moment, however, to realize that Asuna was not just arbitrarily out to blind her with the flash, but actually taking their picture.

It helped Setsuna refocus her thoughts, so once the pictures were taken she gently took Konoka’s hand and nodded slightly at Asuna and Negi in goodbye. “Ready to go, Kono-chan?”

Carefully handing the rose over to Asuna Konoka attached herself to Setsuna’s arm and beamed at her girlfriend. “Yes, Secchan! I’m ready! Bye Asuna, bye Negi... don’t wait up if I’m late.”

Asuna snorted to herself, amused, as she watched the couple make their way down the hall for a moment. “Don’t wait up? I thought this was a dinner-date.”

“Asuna?” Negi looked at his older roommate with a serious and concerned expression. “Who will make our dinner?”

“... DARN IT!”

---

The ride to the restaurant had been a quiet one, with Konoka and Setsuna not saying much but instead shyly holding hands the whole way. Once out of the car Konoka re-attached herself to Setsuna’s arm, and Setsuna bravely ignored looks sent their way and tried to keep her voice from squeaking when she informed the man that greeted them that they had reservations for two.

They were led to a nice, secluded table for two, and so far so good. Then they were given the menus, and Setsuna found she did not know what half of the foreign-sounding food was, much less what to order. Thankfully Konoka naturally took charge and ordered food and drink for the both of them. The waiter lit a candle on their table and left them alone to wait for their food to arrive.

After a moment of silence Konoka reached out and took Secchan’s hand in hers. “You look so handsome today Secchan.” Her fingers began gently tracing patterns on the skin of Setsuna’s wrist.

“And y-y-you are so very... very...” Setsuna had a hard time finding a word that would describe just what a wonder Konoka was, and failing she had to settle for one that didn’t do the vision in front of her justice. “very beautiful, Kono-chan.”

There was a pleased little giggle and a happy smile in response to Setsuna’s words, so perhaps they were alright anyway. Konoka squeezed Setsuna’s hand a little and played with her fingers, and after a moment struck up a conversation between them that though light and filled with small touches and gentle looks was still surprisingly commonplace for them. After a while Setsuna found Konoka looking at her with such an expression in dark brown eyes that it made all the little hairs on Setsuna’s neck stand on end, and made her ears feel as if they were on fire.

Konoka smiled, a slow, mysterious and ever so slightly evil smile and leaned back in her chair somewhat... a moment later and Setsuna felt a strange bump against the side of her foot. The unusual smile on Konoka’s face grew wider at Setsuna’s confusion, and there was a bump against the other foot.

By the time food arrived Setsuna was thoroughly educated in the art of playing footsie, much to her embarrassment and Konoka’s delight.

Dinner was undoubtedly delicious, but Setsuna couldn’t taste a bite, and worse, could barely take her eyes off Konoka long enough to perform the act of eating. Konoka blushed slightly and giggled happily at Setsuna’s preoccupation with her, and generally wished she was bold enough to do something outrageously flirty with her food. Not really finding the courage for that, at least for the moment, she settled for joking with her Secchan a little, managing to get the other girl to relax a little.

Dessert saw them both reliving shared childhood memories, reminding each other of various funny and endearing anecdotes of their early friendship. When Konoka put her spoon down she bestowed Setsuna with another one of those breathtakingly adoring looks that made Setsuna’s heart hammer in her chest.

“You were always my hero.” The words were spoken softly, affectionately, as Konoka found Setsuna’s hand again.

Setsuna frowned and looked away. “...no. I failed you.”

Blinking in surprise Konoka leaned forward until she could meet Setsuna’s eyes again. “Failed? When did you ever fail me?”

“I... you... the river...” Setsuna found she couldn’t even bear to say it and closed her eyes.

“The river? You mean the time when you tried so hard to convince me not to go near the creek, but I was too stubborn to listen... and when I tripped and fell in, like you had warned me I might, you jumped in after me even though neither of us could swim.” Konoka smiled warmly. “Secchan, you managed to keep me mostly above the water until the adults found us even though you couldn’t swim and you were drowning too.”

She leaned carefully across the table until she could touch Setsuna’s face. “How can you call that failing? If you had been any less brave and selfless I wouldn’t be here today.”

“Is there any wonder...” Konoka blushed but continued unwaveringly. “...that I never had eyes for anyone else?”

Wide-eyed and reeling with something akin to shock, Setsuna opened her mouth to speak... only to be interrupted by the waiter stepping up to their table. Immediately the moment was broken and the girls flew apart, blushing strongly. The elderly man who was waiting on their table took in their appearances and knew he had accidentally interrupted something, and since there was nothing else he could do he just did his best to be quick about his business.

Impulsively Konoka asked “Do you want to dance, Secchan?”

Big near-black eyes looked absolutely panicked in reply. “I can’t dance!” A breath, during which Setsuna calmed herself slightly. “I am sorry Kono-chan, but I don’t know how to dance.”

“Hmm...” Konoka looked at her apologetic fiancée. “What do you say then about us leaving here, going back, and... going for a walk?”

Setsuna looked so relieved it was almost comical. “Yes, Kono-chan. We can go for a walk.”

Hiding a smile at her Secchan’s adorable reactions Konoka turned to the waiter to settle the bill, and not long after the two girls were standing outside in the cooling evening air waiting for their car to arrive to take them home.

Blushing slightly for the umpteenth time that evening, Setsuna took off her jacket and draped it over Konoka’s bare shoulders. Konoka just about had time enough to look up in surprised gratitude when Setsuna’s arm followed, carefully settling around Konoka’s back.

With a happy sigh Konoka put her own arms around Setsuna’s waist and leaned against her with her head on a white-clad shoulder.

Setsuna thought to herself that she wouldn’t mind if that car would take just a little while longer...